Circular knitting machine



Oct. 27, 1931.

O. SEIFERT CIRCULAR KNITTING IACHINE Filed July 27, 1928 s Sheets-Shoot1 ....H.... kw

Oct. 27, 1931. o. SEIFERT 1,823,373

CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE Filed July 27, 1.928 5 sheets-sh t 2 //7 ventor: Uri-o SEIFERT Oct. 27*,1981. I '0. SEIFERT 1,828,878

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O. SEIFERT CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE Filed July 27, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet5 rays.

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//1Vent0/': Orro Sam-31 v Patented Oct. 27, .1931

UNITED STATES PATENT OFF-ICE OTTO SEIFERT, OF BUBGSTADT, GERMANY,ASSIGN-OR TO MZARATTI SOCIETE mom OFGENEVL'SWITZEBLAND, A COMPANY OFSWITZERLAND CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE Application filed July 27, 1928,,Serial No.

The present invention relates to improve- -ments in or relating tocircular warp-knitting machines.

Technical circles have been for some timepatent specifications of thelast thirty years but although the most varied constructions have beenproposed no practical satisfactory results have been obtained. The priorconstructions have been so complicated, and have presented so manydifficulties in operation, that the advantages of a tubular knittedarticle, which are equal to those of the flat variety, have notbeenrealized.

The present invention has for its object to provide a circular warpknitting machine which is simple in construction and eflicient inoperation and in which any tendency to entanglement of the threads withone another or with parts of the machine is avoided.

According to the present invention I pro: vide a circular warp knittingmachine in which the warp bobbins are so mounted and disposed withrespect to two thread guide rings and a needle carrying ring that thetwo warps are led entirely separately to their respective thread guiderings, and thence to the needles, a clear space free of fixed or movingparts beingv left between the threads of the two warps.

The warp bobbins are preferably mounted on an annular-member or ringconnected to their respective thread guide rings so as to form therewithtwo annular closed units. These units are caused to execute rotarymovements in opposite directions soas to cause the threads of the twowarps to form crosses which may be engaged by the needles. These rotarymovements are preferably intermittent back and forth movements. Theforward movements of the two guide rings executed in opposite directionscause corresponding threads of 5 the warps to form crosses which areengaged by'the needles on their downward movement and the backwardmovements cause a partial separation of the threads so as to allow morespace between the threads for the passage of the needles on then-upwardmovement. -It follows that the 295,764, and in Germany August 1, 1927.

backward steps must be less than the forward steps by an amount equalto'one needle space so that there is a resultant net forward movement ofthe two rings in opposite directions. Any resulting loosening of thethreads is compensated by the provision of an elastic take-up for thefabric so as to keep the fabric continuously under tension. During thestitch formation the fabric is firmly clamped by a pressure ring so thatthe take updevice will not drag at the threads during stitch formation.For coarse materials this pressure ring is quite smooth, the provisionof slots or raised parts on its surface not being necessary. The machineis also preferably provided with a variable speed gear so that a speedof operation may be chosen to suit the kind of material (i. e., degreeof coarseness of the threads) and the division of the machine.

Owing to the unobstructed passage of the warps from the bobbins to thethread guide rings the threads can be'fed to the needles without damageeven if the most. delicate threads are employed.

In order that the invention may be well understood, a preferredembodiment thereof is illustrated in the accompanying drawings showingin:

Fig. 1 a partial cross section through a, circular knitting machineembodying this invention.

Figure 2 a plan thereof;

Figure 3 the arrangement of the step movement in elevation;

Figure 4 the same in plan;

Figures 5, 5:1,"6, 6a, 7 and 7a L116 different positions ofthe twothread guide rings, of

a the threads themselves; and the needles opposite them; m

Figure 8 a needle lead with needle ring and take-off ring in crosssection;

Figure 9the same in elevation; Figure 10 the device for alteration ofthe speed, partly in section;

Figure ll'the control level in side elevation and the displaced positionthereof;

Figure 12 the take-updevice for the article, under themachine;

movably mounted. On these working rings. 2 and 19. which are toothed,are fixed the Figure 13 the article stretcher and leading late p Figure14 is part of the article delivery frame in plan vlew; 1

Figures 15 and 16 show the needle take-oft and pressure rings oppositeone another in two positions.

Description On the column 1, Figures 1 and 2, is the main support 2. Onthis in turn the take-off ring pair 3 and 4 is firmly fixed; the ring 4is constructed of a relatively hard material such as bronze or steel. Onthe main support 2 are the bearings 5, in which the pins 6 may be setinto up" and down motion by eccentrics not shown. The pins 6 (see alsoFigures 8 and 9) carry the needle ring 7 on which the .needle leads-8With-the fused in needles N are fixed. t

On the column 1 the running rollers 13 for the'lower working ring 12 andthe running rollers for the upper working ring 19 are I thread bobbincartiers 11 or18, and on these intern the thread guide rings 10 and 17,so that these two groups form two ring bodies, completely separated fromoneanother, but Hosted in and rigid.

The thread bobbin carriers 11 and 18 carry bobbin brackets 14 and 21respectively in which bobbins 15 and 22 are rotatably and removalymounted. The bobbins are preverted from a too rapid unwinding by brakelevers 9 and 23 pivotally mounted on the carr ers 11 and 18 frictionallyengaging the bobb ns by means of suitable shoes on one side of the pivotand being provided on the other side of the pivot with weight pans 16and 24.

By varying the weights in the pans 15 and 24 the braking effect on thebobbins can be adjusted. The brake levers are also provided withextensions having rollers at their extremities to serve as guides forthreads Fu and- F0 running from the lower and upper bobbins to therespective guide rings 10 and 17. By this means a correct tensioning ofthe threads on their way from the bobbins to the guiderings can beobtained.

The two working rings 12 and 19 are each provided with a peripheralgear, that on the lower ring 12 meshing with a gear wheel 31 fixed on avertical shaft 32 and that on the upper ring 19 meshing with a doublegear J heel 36 (see Fig. 3) The double gear wheel 36 is also in meshwith a gear wheel 35 fixed on the shaft 32. Thus it will be seen thatupon rotation of the shaft 32 the two. rings 12 and 19 are rotated inopposite directions.

In order to provide for an intermittent or step by step movement of theworking rings 12 and 19 the shaft 32 has keyed thereto a lever 38 whichis linked by pins 39 and 41 with a second lever 38a keyed to a verticalon a shaft 43 which by a suitable source of power. The shaft 26 shaft 26coaxial with the shaft 32. On the pin 41 a double gear wheel 29/30 isrotatably mounted and meshes on the one side with a gear wheel 28 fixedto the shaft 26'and on the other side with a wheel 31. Rotatably mounted:on the pin 39 is a sleeve carrying a rod 40 connected to an eccentric42 mounted is continuously rotated carries at its lower extremity a wormwheel 25-which meshes with a worm 24 fixed to a shaft 23' which is alsocontinuously rotated through a suitable gear box which will behereinafter described.

It follows that owing to the oscillation of centric 42 the shaft 32 canbe made to rotate in the opposite sense to that in which the shaft 26rotates during a portion of the stroke of the pin 39. Thus it will beapparent that any motion from a uniform motion to a back and forth stepby step motion can be imparted to the rings 12 and 19. The uniformmotion is obtained by making the eccentricity of the eccentric 42 zero.

On the shaft 44, journalled in the supporting column 1, Figures 10 and11, are the loose and fast wheels 45 and 46 and also the manifold gearwheel 48, consisting in the figure of three graded wheels joinedtogether. Each of these graded wheels meshes with particular toothedwheels 49, 50 and 51 provided with key grooves'and mounted on the shaft52. The shaft 52 itself has a hollow in which the locking pin 53 withthe bolt 54, which the levers 38, 38a the speed of rotation of theextends along the shaft 52 for, the whole breadth of the three wheels49, 50 and 51 is adjustably mounted. The-bolt 54, according to theadjustment of the'position of the pin, grips one of the wheels 49, 50and51. In a recess of the bolt 54 is the control lever 55, likewise movablein a slot 56, in proximity to the column 1. This slot 56 has transverseslots 57 according to the widthof the wheels 49, 50 and 51, in whichslots the control lever may be placed as a catch lever. 58 and 59 aredriving wheels which transmit the step motion to the toothed ringthrough the shaft 23. Fixed to the main support- 2 is a bracket 60 inwhich the shaft 52 is mounted, Figures 12, 13 and 14. 61 is a stretchingbar which,

with the help of the stretching plate 62 and its slit 63, stretches thetubular goods so as to be flat and ofdouble thickness. 64 are the takeup rollers of which each is pressed against the other by powerfulpressure springs 78 which may be tightened by means of screws 79. Thesetwo rollers 64 are disposed m the frame, 65, which is rotatably 7 frame65. On an extension of this the pulley wheel 72 is screwed which bymeans of a cord or bolt 73 is connected with the pulley wheel 7 4 of theeccentric shaft 52. On the extension '75 of the frame 65 is attached aheavy weight The threads Fa of the supply spools 15 run over the rollersof the brake lever 9 to the lower thread guide ring 10 and through theopening of this to the needles N (Figures 1 and 2, or 5, 5a, 6 6a, 7 and7a) the upper threads F of the supply spools 22 run over the rollers ofthe brake lever 23 to the upper thread guide ring 17 and thencesimilarly to the needles N. v

In Figs. or 5a it may be clearly seen how the threads F0 or Fu passthrough the thread guide rings 17 or to the need es. The, upper threadguide ring move in the d rection of the arrow 0', the lower thread guidering moves in the direction of the arrow U. The threads receive therebya certain obliquity. In the oblique position of Figures and 5/1. theneedles N have passed in between, through the two groups of threads andare about to move downwards again, as the arrow ind cates. In Figure 6or 6a the thread guide rings haveexecuted a side movement in Figure 6for example, 1% needle spaces. the upper ring to the left, the lowerring to the right. Due to this displacement, the wo thread groups haveformed the so-called thread crosses X, which are now underneath theneedle hooks H. Upon downward movement of the needles N inthe directionof thearrow the crosses X are caught and drawn through the old stitchalready on the needles. and prepared ior anew stitch, whereby uponfurther downward movement of the-needle the old stitch is pushed overthe'h'ead of the need e and removed. After this has occurred the threadguides move back again a little. in Figure 7 or 7 a, half a needlespace. The needle N, again moving upwards, now has sufiicient space tomove. safely through the threads of the two thread groups as the hatchedportion indicates. If the backward movement had not occurred, the spacefor the passage throughof the needles would have been only as big as thecross hatched portion shows and this has the result that one or both ofthe thread groups he too thick over the head of the needle, and upon theup- .ward movement of the needle may easily come to lie behind theneedle heads which would give rise to faulty stitches. The finer Thethread guides work therefore according to the following scheme Lowerring 10 Forward movement 1% g 1 1% 1 Backward movement J N 1 Forwardmovement +11 1 +156} 1 1 Backward nmvemeut "{Y t Forward movement 1 1 1l 1 mmum'n Backward movement I Also naturally the step movement can bevaried, therefore more or less backward movement can be given. Always,however,

Forward movement 1V 1 Hukwurd movement ,5; Forward movement. +11, 1

1 Net 11a; kwal'd movement forward 1% 1 movement X With coarser divisionthe backward movement must go to 0, so that a step-by-step movementresults, thus Forwa rd movement 1 lackuard nmvement 0 1 aif Forwardmovement 1 1 Paekward movement 0 \Vith coarse division a constantcontinuous velocity or movement can even be attained. The step movementtakes place since the continuous rotation of the wheel 28, Figs. 3 and4-, is produced through the worm 24- and the worm wheel 25, and thereciprocating rotation of the wheel 28 and once in opposition thereto.The .wheel 29 is then rotated on the wheel 28 back and forth, causingan' add tion to, or subtraction from. the movement. The greater theswinglng movement by the eccentric-"the greater is the rotation and thegreater the forward-and backward movements. The wheel transmission ratiois so chosen that the difference between the adding and subtractingmovement is always 1.

As is clear from Figure 1, the twothread groups pass completelyseparated to the thread guides, therefore no group obstructs the othersin any way. Each bobbin of a group can be exchanged, without thenecessity of interfering with the thread system of the other groups.This makes it possible very easily to thread or to change torn threadsor complete bobbins. 1

The needles themselves are embedded in groups in' leads, which amount inbreadth to a multiple of the width of the needles. This has theadvantage that the needles are seated securely and are more easilyaccessible and replaceable. The formation of the stitches requirescertain time according to'the kind of material and the division of themachine and,

therefore, the machine is arranged with a change speed gear. In Figures10 and 11 for example a three-speed gear is shown.

According as the bolt 54 is moved by means of the control lever 55, thewheel 49, 50 or 51 is connected to the shaft 52 by means of the pin, andthis, on account of the different transis firmly pressed by the springs78 and screw 79. and is tightly stretched by means of the weight 76. Therollers are automatically secured against backward rotation by means ofthe worm wheels 69 or the pertaining worm 70. The rollers are actuatedin the figure by the worm wheel 69, worm 70, wheel 72, belt 7 3 andwheel 74 from the eccentric shaft, but may also be driven by othermechamsm.

If the article has not been so stretched by the rollers' and the weightthat the belt is slack, the worm on the worm wheel is not rotated. Therollers on the frame will descend by reason of the weight with eachstitch and the simultaneous stretching. This descent will go on untilthe belt has received sufiicient tension to enable it to set the worm orworm wheel and rollers in rotary motion. The result is that the frame israised so much that the pull of the belt on the worm is in operation,and so under the influence of the weight 76 and so, with constanttension, an up and down motion of the frame occurs, and a uniformlythick article is obtained just the same whether the article is long orshort stitched. The difference in length of stitch is mainly regulatedby the weight 76 only The regulation of the bobbins serves principallymerely to give to the threads a certain tension when leading them to theneedles.

So'that the article W may be correctly struck oif (removed), thepressure ring 80 is provided which, at the appropriate instant, pressesdown from above on the article and holds this firmly until the newlyformed stitches have slipped under the needle tongues. Then the pressureringrises by an amount so that the operation of the take-up or of thestitch lengthening can take effect.

I claim:

1. In a circular warp'knitting machine, two series of warp bobbincarriers arranged annularly with respect to two thread guide rings andspaced axially with respect to one another, each series of we bobbincarriers being mounted on an ann ar member connected to thecorresponding thread guide ring so as to form therewith an annularclosed unit, a needle carrying ring, means for leading the two warpsentirely separately to their respective thread guide rings and thence tothe needles so as to leave a clear space free of fixed or moving partsbetween the threads of the two warps, and means for causing each of saidunits to execute back and forth step by step movements during eachcomplete stitch forming operation, the movements being such that foreach unit the forward step exceeds the backward step by one needlespace, the forward direction for the two units be'ng in opposite senses.

2. In a circular warp knitting machine, two series of warp bobbincarriers arranged annularly with respect to two thread guide rings andspaced axially with respect to one another, each series of warp bobbincarriers being mounted on an annular member connected to thecorresponding thread guide ring, so as to form therewith an annularclosed unit, a needle carrying ring, means for leading the two warpsentirely separately to their respective threaded guide rings and thenceto the needles so as to leave a clear space free of fixed or movingparts between the threads of the two warps, means for causing said unitsto execute oppositely directed rotary movements and adjusting means forvarying the movements of said units so as to be uniform, intermittentlyprogressive or intermittently back and forth step by'step movementsduring each complete step formation as desired. I

3. In a circular warp knitting machine, two series of warp bobbincarriers arranged annularly with respect to two thread guide rings andspaced axially with respect to one another, each series of warp bobbincarriers being mounted on an annular member connected to thecorresponding thread guide ring, so as to form therewith an annularclosed unit, a needle carrying ring, means for leading the two warpsentirely separately to their respective thread guide rings and thence tothe needles so as to leave a clear space free of fixed or moving partsbetween the threads of the two warps, means for causing said units toexecute oppositely directed rotary movements, and adjusting means forvarying the movements of said units so as to be uniform, intermittentlyprogressive or intermittently back and forth step by step movements asdesired, said adjusting means comprising an eccentric of variableeccentricity co-operating with an oscillatable lever, the motion ofwhich is superposed on to that of a continuously driven member.

In witness wliereof I aflix my signature.

OTTO SEIFERT.

